


love me not

by hhhomunculus



Series: the sun and the moon and all the stars in between [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate AU, and a gay disaster, ed is the prince of xerxes, ling is a dumb flirt who thinks ed is......... rly pretty, prince AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 11:51:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17161490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhhomunculus/pseuds/hhhomunculus
Summary: i'm sitting on the moon, cause I can / ask the boy who lives here for a little dance





	love me not

The room was golden, large and golden and so _unpleasant_. There were people everywhere, foreign nobles and Xerxian citizens alike milling about the massive ballroom. It was crowded (but not so crowded that it was impossible to move) and it was uncomfortable, and not even the buffet table covered in both familiar and foreign delicacies was a reprieve from the awkward small-talk he was continuously being dragged into.

 

The prince of Xerxes hated these events, but as he grew older the pressure to find a suitor, as the older of the two princes, also grew. He knew he would have to choose someone soon, lest his father choose for him. He knew if the king had his way, he would be marrying a princess of high standing who was able to produce a heir - and quite frankly, he didn’t want a wife. So he had to choose now, before the choice was made for him.

 

He pulled himself away from yet another clingy, overly talkative noble (from the country of Amestris, if he had heard correctly) with a slight grimace, pushing through a group of talking people as he headed in the direction of the nearest archway. He couldn’t really see it over the heads of those crowding the ballroom (he was _not_ short,) but he knew the palace like the back of his hand, so he could make a rough estimation.  His golden hair bounced as he pushed his way through the throngs of people, incredibly determined to get out of this suffocating ballroom.

 

He stepped through the open archway to the gardens with a sigh of relief, already feeling less crowded as he made his way to the elegant fountain he frequented so often. There were small candles floating in the water, golden flames reflecting on the water, orange and purple and all the colors of the setting sun. It’s a tranquil scene, and he becomes a part of it as he sits on the edge of the fountain, eyes closing as he lets the sound of chatter from the ballroom fade into white noise.

 

It is all too soon when the sound of fabric shifting as someone sits down next to him breaks his trance. Molten gold eyes snap open narrowly, and he is ready to dismiss this possible suitor with a few curt words, and he freezes, mesmerized.

 

_He is gorgeous_ , he thinks, closing his gaping mouth quickly as he drinks in the appearance of the noble in front of him with all the precision of an artist critiquing a piece. Oh, how this noble resembled a particularly gorgeous piece of art. He took in obsidian eyes and raven hair, skin a sun kissed and complimented by the yellow and white that he was wearing.

 

“Hello,” the stranger says, a satisfied sort of grin on his face that the prince would have found infuriating had he not been so alluring. He fumbled for words - he had never been good talking around pretty boys - and settled with the usual, disgruntled “What do you want?”

 

“Aww, don’t be so rude,” the stranger pouts - fucking _pouts_ \- with a tilted head. “I just wanted to say hello to the man of the evening.”

 

Golden eyes roll in response as their owner grunts, an irritated frown twitching on his lips. _For fucks sake_ \- he takes everything back, as attractive as this strange noble is, he is positively _infuriating_. “Wow, I feel _so_ honored.”

 

“You should be! I am, after all, the most attractive one here.”

 

“Unlikely. I’m sure there are _much_ more attractive nobles in that suffocating ballroom.” That was a lie - there weren’t. This insufferable boy was the most attractive of them all... not that he would ever admit it.

 

“You wound me.”

 

“Then be wounded.” is his reply, and he cannot help the slight smirk that threatens his lips at the other boy’s frown.

 

Then, as there is a lull in the conversation, the music drifting into the garden from the ballroom changes. It catches the attention of the raven haired boy, and he turns with a grin to the Xerxian prince. Holding a hand out to him, he stands.

 

“May I have this dance?”

 

There is a reluctant sigh and the Xerxian stands too, tossing his golden braid over his shoulder.

 

“I suppose,” Is his response, “You haven’t been all too horrible company.”

 

The raven haired boy laughs, and it is like the whole world has lit up. _He is like the moon_ , the golden prince thinks, _he is the moon._

“I’m Ling Yao,” the raven haired boy says as he leads the dance, “Twelfth prince of Xing.”  
  
“Edward Elric,” the golden prince replies, “Eldest Xerxian prince.”  
  
“I thought the king’s name was Hohenheim?” Ling asks curiously.

 

“It is,” Edward agrees. “Elric is my mother’s surname. She kept it when she married my father.”

 

“I see.” Ling says, and spins Edward around. “You said you were the eldest prince - you have younger siblings?”  
  
“A brother. He is the better of us two, honestly, I have no idea why it’s me who is going to be running this kingdom instead of him.”

 

“I am sure you will rule fantastically... with me by your side, of course.” Ling says with a flirtatious grin dancing on his lips, making Edward’s face flush a vibrant red as he began sputtering for a response. Ling laughs.

 

“You - you - you are so forward!” Edward finally yells. “You could have at least taken me to dinner first!”

 

Ling laughs again and Edward can’t help but stare. Ling is beautiful, more beautiful than the stars and moon combined, and Edward can’t help but wonder how he came to meet such a perfect being.

 

 

 

He does not notice how his mother is watching from one of the massive palace windows, and when he comes to her later that night with an aching heart and Ling’s voice in his mind, asking for her to tell him the story about soulmates again for the first time in years, he does not see her knowing smile as she begins a well memorized tale.

**Author's Note:**

> hi this took me like two whole months to finish im sorry  
> if u like it leave a comment saying so and leave a kudos as well  
> bls and thanks! <3


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